Some obstacles that could affect the production and
decision making involved in those relationships might
include the following:
– Out-of-sequence work
– Crew morale
– Availability of equipment and materials
– Weather
– Manpower
PREPARATION
Don’t confine your preparation for an inspection to
correcting and improving the appearance of those items
to be inspected. Get yourself and your people into an
inspection mode or state of mind. Inspections are
frequently viewed with an “us against them” attitude by
those being inspected and a “we are here to help you”
attitude by the inspectors. Inspections are often a source
of conflict between line, and staff personnel. Since staff
units normally carry out inspections, line personnel
often feel persecuted. You should impress upon your
subordinates that periodic inspections are required for
continuous superior appraisal of the command’s ability.
Inspection teams are made up of highly qualified,
knowledgeable individuals. Their purpose is not to
disrupt your mission but to enhance your ability to
accomplish the mission.
Competition between commands and even among
departments and divisions is good and should be
encouraged. The desire to prove through inspection
results, unit award competition, and so forth, that “we
are the best” may lead to a temptation to “improve the
odds” by acquiring those objects that are subject to
inspection just before, and returning them just after, the
inspection. A check showing the unit has passed the
inspection in that area does not accurately reflect the true
condition in which it operates.
The best preparation you can make for any
inspection is to maintain consistent day-to-day
excellence in material upkeep, administrative
procedures, record keeping, and training. A significant
portion of the final inspection results will depend on
your preparation.
A preliminary review of the following will guide
you in planning and supervising preparations for
inspections:
Reference material
Checkoff lists
Previous inspection results
Other recently inspected units
REFERENCE MATERIAL
The first step in preparing for an inspection is to
determine what your unit is being inspected for so that
you can focus your attention in that area. Next review
the recommended references to ensure you are in
compliance with the inspection group procedures.
Always confirm that your instructions, directives, and
publications are the most recent editions.
CHECKOFF LISTS
For any given inspection, the inspectors will have
an inspection checklist. This checklist is readily
available to you before the inspection; it describes how
and what items are to be inspected. This checklist is an
invaluable tool in your preparation as it lists the key
features of the area to be inspected. Usually the checkoff
list references the source document for each inspection
item. You should provide applicable sections of the
checkoff list to the personnel responsible for presenting
a portion of the area to be inspected.
PREVIOUS INSPECTION RESULTS
You should have in your files the results of previous
inspections. By referring to them, you can readily
identify problem areas and judge whether those
deficiencies have been corrected to meet the current
standards. Use caution when referring to previous
results because the standards may have changed since
the last inspection. Because an item was satisfactory
during your last inspection does not mean it still meets
the inspection criteria.
OTHER RECENTLY INSPECTED UNITS
Chiefs from other units or from your squadron
staff may have undergone the same type of
inspection your unit will undergo. These chiefs can
provide you with insight into how the inspection
team conducts the inspection and what specific
areas they examine.
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